Isn’t it absolutely disturbing when you are taking a shower and the water fills up to your ankles? It gets absolutely embarrassing when you have guests over and the water in your sink or bathtub backs up. It is understandable that you might not want to use harsh chemicals for drain cleaning in your bathrooms. Be it your kitchen sink or the washbasin, we have all been victims of clogged drains. We might think that simply running warm water down these drains will help in cleaning them but that is not it.
5 Home Drain Cleaning Remedies
Here are 5 natural ways in which you can get your drains cleaned without the use of harmful chemicals!
– Baking Soda + Vinegar
Make sure to clear the area of your basin. Remove the cover of the drain so that it doesn’t get stained. Take half a cup (½ cup) of baking soda and pour it down the drain. After this, pour half a cup (½ cup) of vinegar into the drain. Let it sit for at least one hour. Wash it down by pouring a pot of boiling water. Baking Soda and Vinegar react in just the right way to get your drain absolutely cleaned. You can repeat this process if further drain cleaning is needed.
– Dish Soap + Hot Water
Pour two litres (2 lts) of water into a pot and let it boil. Once it’s done, add a few tablespoons of dish soap and mix it well. Pour this liquid into the drain, making sure that the water is still hot. It might take a few times to completely clean the clogs but this method severely helps with grease. It heats up the grease back to a liquid so it can travel all the way out of the pipe.
– Baking Soda + Lemon Juice
If you want your drains to smell like lemons and if you prefer a citrus smell, this is definitely the way to go. Pour half a cup (½ cup) of baking soda, followed by half a cup (½ cup) of lemon juice down the drain. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, or if needed, overnight. Finish with a pot of boiling water. This will leave a very soothing fragrance as well.
– Salt + Borax + Vinegar
Combine one fourth cup of salt (¼ cup) with one-fourth cup of borax (¼ cup). Further, add ½ a cup of vinegar to this mixture. Pour this mixture down the drain followed by a pot of boiling water. Finally, rinse with hot tap water to clear all ingredients down the drain. Repeat the process, if needed.
– Baking Soda + Salt
Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup salt and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar into a jar that seals. Close the jar, and shake to combine the ingredients. Pour half the jar’s contents down the drain, and save the other half for later. Let it sit for a minimum of a half hour or as long as overnight. Once it has a significant time, clear it with a pot of boiling water. Let it sit for an hour and then finish it off with some water to rinse it off.
Green or natural solutions are always better when it comes to cleaning your spaces. These are not just a great way to help the environment but also save you from getting your pipes damaged. It doesn’t matter if the pipes are made of metal or plastic synthetic chemicals will eat at them over time. To avoid the drains from getting clogged never put grease, oil, banana peels, potato peels, eggshells, bones, pits or seeds down the drain. For a fresh scent put tiny citrus or lemon peels in the disposal. Also, make sure that you have a strainer to keep your hair away from the drains.
If you find you need other drain cleaning methods, you can check out our
comprehensive guide to keeping your kitchen drains grease-free.
